He declined to give a timeframe for that or to offer any sales targets.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Mercedes Benz launched the GLK small SUV in the Chinese market on Sunday, and its head, Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche, said he was convinced the group would overtake German rival BMW in the fast growing market.
He declined to give a timeframe for that or to offer any sales targets.
Zetsche told reporters that BMW had been in China for longer than Mercedes, while other German luxury-auto maker Audi had a special situation because it delivered government limousines.
"Audi is more volume, we are more at the higher end," Zetsche said.
!ADVERTISEMENT!Asked about the rise in the euro, which makes it more difficult for European-based manufacturers to export their goods, Zetsche said he would have "preferred tailwinds over headwinds" but said Mercedes' margins remained comfortable.
The euro hit a record high just below $1.60 last week, having gained more than 8 percent so far this year.
Zetsche said talks with BMW about the cooperation on possible next-generation volume cars had ended but other discussions were continuing.
Following a collaboration on hybrid engines, the two German groups are studying ways to work on components and new technologies.
Zetsche said these talks were "open, fruitful, constructive and promising."
Daimler and Chrysler had a joint-venture company in Beijing and continued to work together after they ended their merger with the sale of Chrysler to Cerberus.
Asked about possible cooperation with Aston Martin, Zetsche said there were no talks at the moment.
But he went to Kuwait a few months ago because that country is the biggest stakeholder in Daimler and also met the Kuwait fund, Investment Dar, that owns 50 percent of Aston.
Zetsche said Aston Martin would need partners for parts and technologies in the future, and Mercedes could be such a partner.
(Reporting by Marcel Michelson; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Ken Wills)
